Micro-electromechanical system (mems) polyelectrolyte gel network pump

Abstract

According to embodiments of the present invention, a first layer of electrically conductive material may be disposed in a recess in a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) base. An electrically charged gel network may be disposed in the recess on the first layer of electrically conductive material. A second layer of electrically conductive material may be disposed in the recess on the cross-linked co-polymer gel network. A functionalizer may be disposed on the first and the second layers of electrically conductive material.

1. A method, comprising:
 changing an electrical charge on a cross-linked co-polymer gel network assembly, the polyelectrolyte gel network assembly being coupled to a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) device; and 
 moving the micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) device from a first position to a second position in response to changing the charge on the cross-linked co-polymer gel network assembly. 
 
   
   
     2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 changing the charge on cross-linked co-polymer gel network assembly a second time; and 
 moving the micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) device from the second position to a third position in response to changing the charge to the cross-linked co-polymer gel network assembly the second time. 
 
   
   
     3. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising moving a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) mirror from a first position to a second position in response to changing the charge on the cross-linked co-polymer gel network assembly. 
   
   
     4. An article of manufacture, comprising:
 a machine-accessible medium having data that, when accessed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:
 applying an electrical charge to a cross-linked co-polymer gel network assembly; 
 moving a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) device from a first position to a second position in response to applying the electrical charge to the cross-linked co-polymer gel network assembly; 
 removing the electrical charge from the polyelectrolyte gel network assembly; and 
 moving the micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) device from the second position back to the first position in response to removing the electrical charge from the polyelectrolyte gel network assembly. 
 
 
   
   
     5. The article of manufacture of  claim 4 , wherein the machine-accessible medium further includes data that cause the machine to perform operations comprising closing a switch to apply the electrical charge to the cross-linked co-polymer gel network assembly. 
   
   
     6. The article of manufacture of  claim 5 , wherein the machine-accessible medium further includes data that cause the machine to perform operations comprising opening the switch to remove the electrical charge from the cross-linked co-polymer gel network assembly.